


Doctor Cain Era

by Kumakins



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X, Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types
Genre: Character Development, Coming of Age, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Multi, Other, Philosphical Themes, Pre-X1 through Post-X4, Social Issues, X & Zero - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 13:30:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15510924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kumakins/pseuds/Kumakins
Summary: A collection of related one-shots from the Doctor Cain Era: A time when Doctor Cain was relevant to the X series. Some one-shots are unmarked sequels to other one-shots, and all are related even if they don't follow a linear order. These stories do not necessarily include Doctor Cain, but they do focus on the characters, relationships and world Cain influenced between Pre-X1 and Post-X4.Internal tags are in the chapter summaries. I'll probably need to add more tags to the story summary in the future.





	1. Duckling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #X, #Dr. Cain, #Philosophical Themes, #Fluff and Humor

Tabula rasa, Latin for blank slate, was the very definition of the mechanical creature sitting to the archeologist's right.

Doctor Cain was passingly familiar with the epistemological theory that all knowledge came from experience rather than innate mental content. He never cared much about philosophy nor paid mind to parental squabbling over whether their bad seed stemmed from nature or nurture. None of that pertained to his main areas of interest, archeology and robotics engineering, so he dismissed it as unworthy of deep contemplation. Opening Doctor Light's fourteen by eight meter capsule rapidly forced Cain to reevaluate the wisdom of ignoring philosophy's numerous applications.

"Doctor?" The recently awakened robot, Rockman X, mimicked a deep frown etched into the human's face. While he was equipped with language processing and empathic facial recognition, thus far X primarily communicated his feelings by reproducing other people’s expressions. 

Initially his only method for displaying any degree of displeasure was boisterous sobbing. Learning more subtle emotional cues over the past three days had lessened the frequency of tearful outbursts, but when in doubt he automatically defaulted to crying, like a small child.

How Cain hated it when X cried. The mimicry of human infancy undermined his entire archeological crew’s scientific objectivity. Cain never cared for children but even he was stricken by an innate desire to soothe those synthetic tears. Perhaps Doctor Light was preying upon parental instincts to protect his masterpiece from humanity’s worst impulses. What a clever old bastard.

Or excessively eccentric and senile, Cain mused as considered the archeological treasure making himself at home in his tent, as usual. X was currently trying to replicate creases of amusement spreading across Cain’s face. It was charming, actually.

X claimed he needed more input to form complex emotional responses, also like a human child. Reproducing observed behaviors was his favored vehicle for collecting data to expand his response bank. Who better to mimic than the man studying him? Doctor Cain was as much X's test subject as X was to the scientist. Of course, Cain couldn't resist likening the infantile robot's tendency to copy him, the first person X saw upon activation, to imprinting instincts in young animals.

"Yes, little duckling?" Doctor Cain finally answered despite knowing his faint sarcasm was wasted on X. Sure enough, he was rewarded by a contemplative frown before the android corrected him.

"I am not a duckling."

"You act like a duckling."

X, knowing little of ducklings, struggled with the notion he shared common traits with water fowl. "... I am still not a duckling."

"Have you ever heard the saying: If something looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it is probably a duck?" Of course X had never heard such a thing, so Doctor Cain continued without pause. "Therefore, since you act like a duckling, you are probably a duckling."

"I... I am not a duckling, though.” X pursed his lips with what had to be growing annoyance. "And I do not look like a duck or swim like one."

"You never swam before, so how do you know?" Doctor Cain chortled at the magnificent dirty look X shot his way. The archeologist wondered when he taught his discovery that trick. Maybe he should be more careful with what he did or said around the impressionable machine. "But, no, you are not a duckling. That saying is an example of abductive reasoning, in which we go directly from observing a consequence to theorizing a simple explanation."

X moved in his chair and twisted his face as if squeezed too tightly. The android chewed at his lip while desperately avoiding eye contact. Doctor Cain's weathered gaze glittered. He affectionately dubbed this X's personal 'I-Know-You're-Full-Of-Shit-But-I-Don't-Want-To-Offend' look. Cain grinned as if given a gift. Then he poked the metaphorical bear cub.

"What is it, little duckling?"

"Doctor Cain!" Exasperation licked every syllable. "That logic is flawed!"

"How so?" Cain scooted his stool away from the folding table acting as a temporary desk, and twisted to directly face his favorite experiment. He loved these logic games. They allowed him to map developing mental boundaries in Doctor Light's final masterpiece. The terrain was constantly shifting; there were always new pathways to explore. When he thought he had X pegged, the robot transcended and rewrote everything modern science believed regarding artificial intelligence. This child was Cain's greatest adventure.

"There is no guarantee you will reach the correct conclusion by accepting the most likely scenario as true." X was so vehemently dissatisfied by such reasoning, Cain would venture to classify it as disgust.

"Yet medical diagnoses and criminal cases are determined based on this principle." The archeologist nearly laughed at X’s incredulous horror. "Riddle me this, dear X... Given a set of evidence, and knowing additional evidence may exist but could not be admitted, can we deduce the truth?"

X didn't like the question and mentally rerouted to avoid an answer he found unsatisfactory. "... We should collect more evidence if we know our information is incomplete."

"Ah, but the patient is dying and a defendant has a right to a speedy trial. You don't want to make them suffer due to indecision." Doctor Cain delighted in the distress flashing across X's face when he realized time was limited; they couldn't realistically wait to gather a full set of data. "So what option is left given what we know and what we don't know?"

"We... have to pick a solution that best explains the evidence available..." X was reluctant and visibly troubled by his admission. "But what if we're wrong?"

"That is a risk you will need to take." Cain shrugged. "It's good to be cautious, and heavens knows I could learn from your example, but you might not always have the luxury of being certain."

"What if someone gets hurt because I was wrong?" X chewed his lip at the thought of anyone suffering for his error.

"Then take responsibility and own your mistakes." Cain couldn't stop his voice from growing affectionate as he admired the depth of X's kindness. Though born from wire and metal, the young robot was far more humane than most humans. "All of us carry a bit of regret in our hearts. The best we can do is try not to let guilt weigh us down to the point we can't move forward."

"... Oh..." X was once again dissatisfied, and Cain grinned at the distance growing in the android's emerald optics. It was endearing how he earnestly fretted over a hypothetical dilemma.

"Was that a bit too far over your head, little duckling?"

X scowled indignantly and folded his arms as he turned away from the snickering human. His cheeks burned but at least he was distracted from wrongs he had yet to commit.

"No. And I am not a duck."


	2. Define Emergency

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #X, #Sigma, #Zero, #MaverickHunterHQ, #Fluff and Humor

"Can't you send Storm Eagle or Spark Mandrill?"

"This is not a valid use of Hunter resources." Sigma tried to match X's desperate plea with a professional patience-within-limits tone. He towered over the poor navigator that had the misfortune of fielding X's emergency call and ignored his subordinate's growing discomfort. 

The generic navigator lamented every decision that led him to this point while languishing in Sigma's impressive shadow. He dearly wished their personal drama was at least transferred over to a private channel. Patching X through to the commander felt like a terrible mistake; claiming interference and hanging up on X would have been the smarter move. Then another operator could have dealt with the distressed Reploid template when he called back. Unfortunately, this type of situation was not covered in the employee manual. 

"Maverick Hunters have a wider scope of civic responsibility than merely fighting Mavericks," X argued. "Like police and firefighters, Hunters should be invested in the overall safety and security of the human-Reploid communities they serve!"

"A rousing speech," Sigma congratulated with genuine appreciation for X's ever improving eloquence. The commander was certain X always had a knack for passionate debate given his rather complex grasp of ethics and morality, but the quiet android had only recently discovered his voice. Sigma was learning how to contend with X challenging him while simultaneously encouraging his progenitor. Patience tempered by firm conviction was the best way to weather X's random bouts of stubborn absurdity. "However, I fail to see why this qualifies as a matter of overall safety and security for the community."

"Zero's stuck in a tree!" X blurted out unceremoniously, angry at Sigma for disregarding the gravity of the situation. The poor thing was undoubtedly flailing his hands with exasperation. Sigma silently raised an eyebrow, both amused and irritated by X overreacting whenever Zero was involved.

"I sincerely doubt he is stuck. You know his specs allow for a remarkable range of acrobatics."

"That's not the point!"

"I beg to differ."

X allowed a moment of silence and Sigma's acute sensory detected an ominous tension on the other end. He could practically hear the processors spinning in X's head as he rethought his approach.

"...What if he's too scared to climb down on his own?" Ah. X was implementing an appeal to emotion, but the rather potent logical fallacy would not sway Sigma so easily. Both read the same argumentative philosophy texts in Doctor Cain's library. Their similar education enabled him to see through many of X's otherwise clever ploys. Of course, the reverse was also true, but the physically older android's AI was too immature to wield such knowledge as effectively.

"Have you attempted climbing up to him?" Sigma refrained from calling X out for using a manipulative tactic to compensate for his fear’s irrationality; largely because he knew the concern for Zero was genuine. The mild-mannered lab tech would never raise such a fuss lightly. In fact, Sigma was rather impressed X stood his ground and didn't want to discourage the normally passive android so long as he acted out within reason.

"I'm not that good at jumping... I could damage the tree." 

"I see." Sigma barely had the fortitude not to groan. Of course X would be worried about hurting the tree as well. "In that case, you must wait until I am off duty."

"Sigma?" X's voice raised a hopeful octave.

"I will personally perform Zero's extraction. Not as a Hunter, but as a concerned citizen."

"Thank goodness!" X breathed out happily, his grin broadcasting clearly over the radio. "I was afraid I would need to call the fire department again."

Sigma found himself oddly offended he hadn't been the first person X called.


	3. Rehab in Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #X, #Zero, #TechnicalBabble, #CainLabs, #LabTechX, #Fluff and Humor

X was fairly certain Zero was malfunctioning. 

Pure coincidence alerted X to the fact Zero was behaving oddly. He only noticed his red counterpart's intense stare when glancing across the lab in his general direction. Otherwise, he would have never bothered to look up. X did not need a visual in order to locate Zero, after all. He would merely fire up his combat subroutines, determine the most tactically advantageous position in the room, and there Zero was without fail; it was the only useful application X ever found for his battle functions. 

The warbot's arms were folded with decided disapproval while leaning back against the nearest wall, a critical frown etched deeply into his otherwise beautiful face. X frowned right back at Zero and ignored the borderline feral growl it elicited from the formerly crazed Maverick.

What was his problem?

Zero acted indifferent at best and annoyed at worst toward X following him around habitually. The lab assistant all but jumped at the opportunity to oversee Zero's rehabilitation, and hardly allowed the mystery android out of sight ever since. 

If anyone asked, X claimed Zero was his friend as much as his patient.

Zero didn't fully comprehend what a friend was just yet. So far the term meant X was always obnoxiously puttering about the perimeter of his personal space. Getting a break from X's smothering should have been welcome. He should be happy X was preoccupied.

Instead, Zero was all but stalking him as the lab assistant tried to focus on his patients. Perhaps it was a bizarre type of revenge to give X a taste of his own medicine. Maybe he was simply having a system error brought about by recent trauma. Either way, X was starting to feel harassed by the relentless glare digging into his back.

"Zero, did you want to help me?" X tried smiling this time, hoping to coax the unsocialized brute he adored to be a little less creepy. His current patient, a prototype for a nearby steel mill, was positively horrified by the idea of interacting with the demonic android. X didn't notice. "All you have to do is play catch. We're diagnosing some depth perception errors Penelope's model is experiencing."

Zero hissed out a no and Penelope was confident his wild mane puffed out like an angry cat. X dignified the terrifying response with little more than a disapproving pout as the steelworker cowered.

"Try to ignore him. Zero still hasn't entirely grasped the concept of manners," X soothed as he turned back to Penelope with a gentle smile. The much larger Reploid gave him a flat look. She was certain that was the least of Zero's evident plethora of issues. X chose not to notice. "Can you drop to Level Two awareness for me? I need to see what algorithms you're using."

"Level Two?" Penelope repeated slowly, her programming immediately bringing up the appropriate command lines but she herself was uncertain what it meant.

"Yes. Reploids have multiple levels of awareness, like humans," X generously explained. "Our consciousness, memory banks and personality matrices operate on Level Three. Level Two is for programs that control motor functions and our special abilities. We can access them easily from Level Three, but we aren't always cognizant of the operation protocols. You don't have to purposefully think about moving every component while controlling your arms, right?"

"Right..." Penelope’s eyes brightened with mild fascination. She found it interesting, but only so much as it allowed her to understand how X would find her errors. "Then automatic responses and repair programs must operate on Level One?"

"Exactly. Level Zero is merely background programs our bodies maintain when we go into standby or sleep mode." X was grinning now, pleased Penelope was following along so well. He started to say more when a flash of blonde drew his attention to his immediate right. X turned and looked up into a set of furious sapphire eyes. The lab assistant and patient backpedaled in alarm. "Zero! What are you doing?"

Satisfied he had X's attention, Zero refocused his severe expression on the steelworker. His eyes hardened at her gripping the petite lab assistant's shoulders too tightly. Using X as a shield was a bad move. 

Zero took a sharp step toward her, thrusting his weight and considerable strength into the motion. The resulting stomp birthed a faint shock wave rippling across the floor. Various tools and instruments daintily clinked against one another like ominous wind chimes. Penelope’s pupils shrunk. Within seconds she was at the door, babbling frantic apologies and excuses at X while backing out.

"W... Wait... I..." X meekly raised a hand, but he could only watch as the Reploid retreated from his lab area. Zero's satisfied snort brought him out of his stupor. X was instantly on his feet, scowling unimpressively at his designated best friend. "Really, Zero? Was that really necessary? What has gotten into you? That's the fifth one today! I can't believe you sometimes!"

Zero tuned the specifics of X's fuming out. Bemused, he watched the tech do his very best to look super serious, or perhaps even intimidating. Knowing this wasn't actually aggressive behavior from X, he was almost tempted to smirk. Almost.

In another corner of the lab, Doctor Cain chortled to himself as he watched his favorite pair of ancient robo-kids. He pretended he wasn’t observing them from his personal workbench, but he didn't need to try hard. X and Zero frequently existed on a totally different plane of reality when focused on one another.

"So, Zero is capable of jealousy..." Cain mused, pleased the red wonder had demonstrated another emotional behavior response even if it cost them some patients and drove poor X to the limit of his patience. That seemed like a fair trade.

Zero's recovery was proceeding faster than they could have hoped.


	4. Titan in the Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #Sigma, #X, #Societal Issues, #Comfort

Sigma detected familiar green eyes studying him intently as he flipped to the next page of Doctor Cain’s novel. 

The mechanical giant’s massive fingers caressed the book’s spine with precision and delicacy. Since learning paper was fragile and required assiduous handling, Sigma had been granted full access to Doctor Cain’s personal library. His creator had been more than happy to indulge his fondness for literature provided the newbuilt was careful, but Sigma suspected Cain would have done so even if he was careless. 

His creator seemed to have a penchant for excessive risk, and plenty of humans convincingly argued Sigma’s construction was a risk, too. The replica was an unreasonably powerful sentient android and his intimidating stature didn’t help. 

Project Sigma’s abnormally large frame was a direct consequence of modern technology failing to compete with Doctor Light’s sleek black box components. Additional or bulkier parts were required to match the original android’s specs, so the massive size couldn’t be helped; not if he was to be a true replication. Theoretically, the main difference in their functionality was that Sigma lacked a built-in weapons system. Yet Sigma was the frightening one.

How strange. Humans anticipated he would throw his weight around simply because he was big.

On the contrary, it was due to his size Sigma found grace absolutely imperative and made a point to master his body. Now he performed the most minuscule of actions with a refined finesse unexpected of his bulk. He literally lacked room for mistakes. One careless wave of his hand could shatter furniture or send bystanders sailing; a lesson he learned within seconds of activation. 

Sigma’s eyes tensed with residual humiliation when he recalled himself clumsily reaching out and knocking his template into a table. Thankfully, the petite relic was a sturdy unit who never appeared the least bit deterred by Sigma's errors. 

The replicate android caught a flash of blue armor in his peripheral and a low, pleasant hum akin to a chuckle rumbled through his throat.

"X, would you care to join me?" Sigma suggested without looking up. The android's optics flashed as he hurriedly sunk into an ornate sitting chair opposite Sigma. X’s hands folded into his lap and he watched the giant with rapt fascination. Slowly, he inched his seat closer to better enjoy the proximity of another like himself. Sigma only smirked faintly at the childish attachment X already formed to his replica. 

Despite being activated long before Sigma's schematics were drafted, X's AI and build was considerably younger. He was little more than a boy in his early to mid teens while Sigma was undoubtedly an adult by comparison.

"Sigma, do you like Doctor Cain?" X's soft voice audibly flinched as the words unceremoniously tumbled forth. Sigma considered his precipitous question before responding.

"He is my creator and I value his council," he answered thoughtfully. "My experiences are too limited for adequately weighing the significance of my attachment to him relative to others, but I do not dislike him." X couldn't tell if Sigma's pupil-less eyes were focused on him, but sensed he was the one being studied now. "Why do you ask?"

"You and Doctor Cain argued..." X's petite frame miraculously shrunk into itself. "I was afraid you might hate him."

"We merely disagreed." Sigma allowed himself an amused snort at dear X's concern. He didn't understand the android's acute sensitivity to any hint of unrest but learned it was best not to question. Besides, there was an endearing faucet to the irrational behavior. X grated his nerves at times, yet Sigma was charmed by his template's ceaseless attempts to gauge and reinforce the Cain household's happiness. "From what I gather, disagreements are fairly normal between humans." 

"Robots don't argue with humans," X pointed out.

"Neither of us are technically robots in the traditional sense of the term," Sigma patiently reminded X. He couldn't blame the ancient android for assuming robotic norms. Prior to the replica's creation, robots were his only examples of non-biological entities interacting with humans, and X was impressionable. Sigma, housing a more mature AI model, was not so reliant on guidance to form independent behavioral assessments and standards. "We possess free will akin to that of humans. In many ways we are their equals if not their superiors."

"Superiors?" X frowned.

"We are superior to humans in strength and intelligence," Sigma observed casually. "We also possess free will as they do. There is nothing a human can do that we cannot do better."

"Does that really make us superior...?" X trusted Sigma but, assuming he was using the idiom correctly, the assertion left a bad taste in his mouth.

"It doesn't matter. Superior or inferior, humans are sentient beings," Sigma mused while turning another page in his novel. "They are entitled to our respect by virtue of having sentience. Likewise, we are entitled to their respect due to our sentience."

"Humans don't always see us as sentient... Some don't believe there is a difference between us and common machines," X cautioned Sigma. Concern once again radiated from his entire frame. He knew this information might upset the newbuilt and he hated to upset anyone. Sigma finally looked up to regard the template with mild surprise. X was gullible and naive, but had far more intimate experience with humans. Much of that experience was filtered through the worldview of a child. Even so, it was enough to humble Sigma at times like this.

"Is that so? Perhaps it will take time for them to accept us," Sigma mused. "Humans appear to struggle with the concept of equality among themselves, so recognizing our superiority may prove difficult. We'll have to be patient."

X disliked Sigma's nonchalant declaration of supremacy and chose to switch subjects. "Doctor Cain said there are companies that want to manufacture more like us... Do you think that's a good idea?"

"It sounds premature," Sigma confessed, his voice becoming a low, displeased sound in the back of his throat.

"I feel the same!" X brightened as if Sigma praised him merely by holding similar sentiments. The world's first true android was a lonely little thing and any connection to his fellows riddled him with joy. "Mass production of replicate androids, sentient beings, seems reckless until we better understand Doctor Light's work." X regretfully eyed Sigma, nervous he had gone too far. "Not that I doubt you or the doctor..."

"Easy, X." Sigma raised a hand to reassure X no offense was taken. "You are not wrong to be apprehensive. I fear our dear doctor is too hasty in his enthusiasm, and these corporations may take advantage."

X unfolded himself when Sigma validated his fears as worthy of careful consideration. The android was accustomed to researchers and robots brushing him off or telling X he was thinking too hard. Some even went so far as to laugh at the adorable worry wart, but Sigma always took him seriously and X appreciated having at least one person listen. The emerald-eyed template smiled and Sigma acknowledged his unspoken gratitude with a mere nod.

"If you like, I can discuss this matter with Doctor Cain," Sigma offered, something close to humor briefly passing over his features, but X was pretty sure that was impossible. "As you are aware, I am not afraid to disagree with him."

"Thank you, Sigma... I'd feel a lot better," X sighed in relief, rewarding the giant with a tiny grin. "He doesn't always listen to me."

"Because he sees you as a child," Sigma pointed out distractedly. He wasn't terribly interested in X's personal relationships and didn't want to encourage these discussions, but someone needed to put things in perspective for him.

X winced. “I suppose I haven’t done much to discourage that...” he admitted.

“Do you want to discourage him?” Sigma raised his chin to study X. Perhaps he underestimated his progenitor again.

X stalled, pressed his palms together, sighed and allowed his shoulders to slump in resignation.

“No... Not really. There are still many things I don’t understand about society,” X confessed. “If a child is someone who is still dependent on an adult’s guidance, then I suppose the term fits.”

Sigma nodded in approval. “You are quite wise for one so immature.”

“I... Thank you?” X wrinkled his nose. Sigma’s compliments frequently sounded more like insults.

Oh, well. He couldn’t bring himself to be irritated; Sigma was a baby whether the giant realized it or not. X smiled to himself as rose, content to leave Sigma to his reading. The original android paused in the library doorway and looked back at his replica fondly.

”And thanks for hearing me out, Sigma."

"You're welcome, X."


End file.
